How do you live your life?

How do you live your life and what do you let get in your way?  Hopefully this story will show you that nothing can get in your way if you are willing to try.

Restorative Yoga Pose #1- Legs Up The Wall

Today I want to introduce my first restorative yoga pose- legs up the wall.  I consider this to be the mother pose of all other restorative poses because it's benefits are profound and it can done just about anywhere.  This pose is a gentle inversion which uses gravity's pull as the main therapeutic tool.  The body loves to go upside down.  Think about it, gravity is pulling us in one direction most of the time.  When we flip that upside down, everything gets a little break from the pull.

Time: 5-20 minutes

The following are some basic variations of the pose and at the bottom of the post I have put the benefits and cautions.

Most basic:

 These first two pictures are the most basic versions of the posture.  The only prop you'll need is a wall and some floor space.  This posture can also be done on the bed.

* In all of the postures you will notice I have a small hand towel over the eyes.  This is an easy and effective way to block out the outside world and allow you to go deeper into relaxation

This version is the same as the one above but I have added a blanket (pillow) under my head and towels under my arms for extra luxury.

* For all versions of Legs Up the Wall it generally is more comfortable to get the butt and legs as close to the wall as possible.  This may take practice and the distance for comfort varies for everyone.  

 Leg Variations:

 Sometimes it is helpful to add different leg variations while doing the pose.  These can either add a nice stretch or give the legs a break during a long hold (or both!).

This wide legged stretch is good for the inner thighs

 With the soles of the feet together, ankles resting on the wall, and the legs out at diamond shape this version is good for the hips.
















With Props:

Adding a bolster and a blanket can  give  extra support as well as adding a mild back bend to the posture.  In this version the bolster is about 3 inches from the wall allowing the tailbone to slightly curve over the edge.  The blanket is folded long and placed perpendicular to the bolster to support the back.  Extra support, such as a towel, can be added under the neck if needed.






Legs in the air:

 Don't have a wall? Don't fret, you can still do the posture with only a bolster, cushion, couple of folded blankets, or pillow as your prop.  Sit up on the prop and recline back onto the floor.  The prop should be comfortable and support the legs while they "hang" in the air. this version does require some core strength as well as some leg strength.  While some people find this version more difficult others find it easy and very soothing.





Benefits:
~ The Heart.  Ultimately this posture is excellent for the heart.  It sends blood rushing back into the abdomen and chest, nourishing all the internal organs.  However, this posture is especially beneficial for those with hypertension or other heart issues. Personally I believe that people with hypertension and or heart issues benefit greatly from this pose not only because of the physical nourishment that the heart gets but also the mental and emotional benefits of slowing down and being restful.
~ The Lymph System.  The lymph system is unique in the body in that it does not have any mechanism of it's own for movement throughout the body. Therefore it relies on physical activity and inversion for movement.  Obviously physical activity is the main mode for movement of lymph fluid in the body, but why not put gravity to work while you rest?  By inverting the legs upside down, gravity pulls all of the lymph fluid  that has drained into the lower regions of the body throughout the day back into circulation.
~Swollen tired legs, edema and varicose veins.  For years I worked standing for 6-8 hours on hard marble floors and I developed varicose veins.  This pose is God sent for tired legs. 10-20 minutes can make the legs feel rejuvenated and ready to go. With any kind of swelling, be it from edema or varicose, the inverting of the legs helps the swelling go down and has both short term and long term benefits if practiced regularly.
~Calms the mind.  This posture has a nourishing effect on the whole system.  Because it is an inversion all of your energy (prana/qi) goes to an areas in the body called the dantians.  The areas are located below the belly button - lower dantian, in the center of the chest - middle dantian, and between the eyebrow center - upper dantian.  Dantian is also known as "energy center" and during rest or meditation energy accumulates in these 3 areas having profound restorative and rejuvenating effects on the whole system.
~Menopause, Stress, and Exhaustion.  I want to be clear about this. These are three separate complaints but  I grouped them together because the mechanism of relief is the same.  Legs up the wall helps balance the nervous system and therefore relieves nervous exhaustion.  This in turn mitigates the effects of stress hormones (cortisol and adrenaline).

Contraindications and Cautions:
~People with glaucoma or other eye issues should avoid inversions.
~Do not practice this pose if you feel any pressure in the head.
~Pregnant women should not practice this pose if they are at a high risk of miscarriage or if you feel at all uncomfortable. Pregnant women can practice for shorter amounts of time (5-10minutes).  You will feel lightheaded and dizzy long before the baby loses any oxygen, so move out of the posture if any symptoms occur. 
~Menses. Most of the time it is contraindicated to do inversions during menses.  I would suggest a modified version, like stone hedge or instant Maui postures, where the legs are not fully extended in the air during menstrual cycle.

What about love?

The first time I ever heard yoga described as a spiritual science it blew my mind.  In our modern world we are taught to keep spirit and science separate.  Yet here ancient yogis created an entire science dedicated to understanding the spirit.  According to Webster's dictionary, " science n. - knowledge obtained from observation and arranged in a system."  Well duh,why can't the spiritual be a science?  In fact yoga practices can be considered the technologies and or the lab for greater understanding.

Lately my scientific research has been centered around love as medicine.  Now instantly when we mention the word love and science in the same sentence there is a collective eye-roll from the science community, some shifting uncomfortably in their seats, and a disregard as touchy-feely hippie talk, not real science.  In both the Indian system of medicine known as Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine, emotions are taken into account in both the diagnosis and treatment of any dis-ease or illness.  In fact in TCM each organ is connected to specific emotions; liver is associated with anger and anxiety, kidneys and fear, spleen worry, lungs are grief, gallbladder is indecisiveness, and heart is joy.  Yet Western allopathic medicine scoffs at any mention to our emotions playing a major roll in dis-ease and illness.

Lately I have been observing how and where love shows up in the external world.  Turns out it is everywhere!  Have you turned on the radio lately or ever listened to music?  What is the most common theme? LOVE of course.  The ups and downs of falling in or out of love.  Outside of the scientific world we can all agree that love, either positive or negative, is the driving force of our human experiences.  Yet strangely it is almost universally kept out of our medicine and healing. I had once heard a psychologist talk about her experience working in a refugee camp in Thailand.  She worked mainly with women who had escaped the war-torn country of Burma, most of which were dealing with many physical aliments. These women had seen and experienced things we couldn't even imagine.  And yet when they came to talk to her all they wanted to talk about was love, Why did their boyfriend run off with their cousin, or who they were attracted to in the camp, or why was their husband being so distant from them now that they had made it out of Burma. Love and it's many forms was the most significant theme that any of the women talked about.

We are taught God is Love.  If God is love and God's spirit is within us all than are we not also made up of love as well?  If our spirit is ultimately love, and our body is the vessel which communicates the spirit then how can we possibly disconnect what is happening in our bodies and how we are either feeling or not feeling the love in our lives?  And what the effect of those feelings are having on our bodies?  Here's a little experiment- take a moment to go back  into an experience of illness or dis-ease in your own life?  Where you feeling loved at the time of onset?  Either self love or love from others?

Maybe the reason there are so many dis-eases out there that are yet to be cured is because our science has been asking the wrong questions.  Instead of asking, "what is the genetic mutation that causes breast cancer?" we should be asking, "do you love yourself? Do you feel loved?  Do you belong to  a community and/or support networks?  Do you have friends you can laugh with?  How's your relationship with your partner?  Do you feel you give and receive love freely?"  In my opinion, most modern science no matter how advance it may be, has utterly failed to observe the most basic and common evidence.

Could it really be that simple? Yes. I believe it is. I challenge you to a science project of your own. For this next week observe all the signs and symbols of love you see around you.  Just witness and observe.  Even better yet, collect the data and arrange in your own research project. The following is a collage of evidence I have collected on my daily walk... 

Exhibit A:

Break Time

Greetings everyone!  Excuse my long absence but I have decided it is time for this blogger to take a mental stay-cation, thought shavasana, checking out for the rest of the month.  I will be back the first Monday of July.

Be well,
Marnie

Natural Deodorant that actually works!

Part of my aim of this blog is to share useful and practical information.  That's why today I had to post about this deodorant I recently purchased.  I have come across what I consider a blessing, if not a miracle, in body care. Lavailin underarm deodorant cream.  Lavilin is an all natural deodorant and as you can see on the box it offers up to seven days odor free with one application. Now I am not one to promote brands and I certainly do not get any kick backs but this deodorant is almost too good to be true and I want to share it with anyone who struggled like I have with underarm odor.

I am in front of people a lot.  Either teaching yoga classes, small group workshops, or one-on-one sessions, it seems in my line of work I am always "on".  What I have noticed is that this kind of performance makes me sweat and the side effect is stinky!  It's embarrassing to be in front of people or working with people close up and smell my own body odor! For some reason, this sweat odor was even  worse than when I work out.  I was at my wits end. I have tried every natural deodorant under the sun and nothing seemed to work. That was until I found Lavilin.  I had passed over it while trying the bazillion other brands at the co-op several times and while I was always curious at it's claims,  it just seemed too good to be true.  Also at around $15 a container, it is more expensive than other deodorants. I didn't want to waste money on something that wasn't going to work.  However, last week I gave in and -  AAAAHHHHHAAAAAA!!!!!! This stuff is amazing!  I am on day four of my first application and still smelling sweet. No odor whatsoever! I keep checking just to make sure and to my surprise each time I check I don't smell anything- nothing! Even when I have been sweating and I put this on 4 days ago.  That is absolutely amazing to me and I couldn't be happier.

I would purchase this stuff even if it promised just one day of being odor free, but up to 7 days, that still blows my mind. It takes a very little amount of cream, it smells fresh when you apply it and it lasts for 7 days, even after showering. Of course you still sweat, and that's a good thing because your body needs to sweat, but you don't smell and that's what's really important as far as I am concerned. Also, it is all natural and doesn't have any of the harmful chemicals commercial deodorants might have so you can feel even better about using it.  To sweeten the deal even more, in the long run it will actually be a lot cheaper than all those other deodorants I was buying and putting on multiple times a day because it is just one application once a week.

Already this deodorant cream has made a big impact on me.  Before I was always concerned that other people might smell me, now I can be in front of and around people confidently knowing that I smell great!  I found this product at my local co-op in the health and beauty department.  If you can't find it at your local shops I have included the website link below and you can odor on-line.

www.lavilin.com

Invitation to Meditation

Hi everyone! This is a special invitation to any and everyone in the Minneapolis area to learn a meditation technique from the Isha Foundation. Isha Foundation is the organization run by Sadhguru and the organization that I formally learned my meditation from. This is a great opportunity for anyone who is interested in learning meditation basics in a relaxed atmosphere for $15.00. Listed below is all the information you need. Registration is required as there is a limited number of seats so sign up early!

Date: 4/18/2013 Thursday
Time: 6:45pm-8:00pm
Venue: Hale Elementary School
            1220 East 54th Minneapolis, MN 55417

Registration: www.mplscommunityed.com Class ID: 16148 49012

Class title: Meditation: Be, Breathe, Blossom

Please check out more about Isha Foundation and their website at ishafoundation.org

 

What is healthy?

Shigechiyo Izumi- oldest living man ever recorded. 120 years, 237 days

As a health care provider it is my job to teach and guide people to feel better and live a more healthy lifestyle.  Everywhere you look there is some suggestion out there as to what you should do to "fix" what ales ya. Often my clients share with me the ways they "keep healthy".  I see all sorts of different people with completely different lifestyles and ideas about what they think  healthy is, this makes me constantly question, what is healthy?

Does exercise and a fit body mean you are healthy? I have worked with many athletes and triathletes and I can tell you 0% body fat does not necessarily healthy make.  In fact, I see lots of athletes with chronic on-going health issues of pain and depletion.   In my opinion  ripped abs and skinny jeans are not indicators of health.  I once knew a man who ran 9 miles a day, had no body fat whatsoever and had a quadruple bypass at the age of 45.  Is that healthy?

Then there are the foodies. Is it the vegans? Atkins? Raw foodists? Gluten free?  Cave man's diet? Mediterranean diet? Juicing, fasting, cleansing, and detox- oh my!  What  is the best food diet?  This is an on-going debate that seems to change by the hour.  Coffee- good today bad tomorrow. Should I or shouldn't I eat eggs?  Opinions on food are as plentiful as food choices themselves.  And why we may all be able to agree, "you are what you eat?" We can't seem to come to any consensus on what the heck to eat.

There is a multi-billion dollar industry to keep people looking young. As long as you look the part, no mater the cost, then you must be healthy right? These are the folks that are constantly chasing the fountain of youth through pills, supplements, vitamins, injections, reductions, surgeries, peels, scrubs and the likes.   These folks will do anything to keep their youthful appearance.  Youthful on the outside but what is happening on the inside?  In our youth obsessed society if you said taking a trip into outer space would take 10 years off, there would be mobs of desperate people breaking down NASA doors.  However, many of these remedies can have serious side effects.  Is that healthy?

Finally there are those folks like my grandma and Shigechiyo Izumi who don't follow any "health rules",  or in some cases defy all the rules and still out live everyone.  My beautiful grandma Flo lived to be 103 years young and up until the very end was still kicking everyone's butt in Scrabble.  She was a farm wife who lived on meat, white foods (potatoes, white flour, white sugar) and weak coffee.  I can't say I  ever saw her exercise (like at a gym or even go for a walk for that matter) or eat kale and still she got around quite well until her mid 90's.  If you looked at her she wouldn't exactly qualify as the picture of health but then no one can debate 103 years.  And then there is Shigechiyo Izumi, the second oldest person to ever live recorded in modern times. Izumi was 120 years 237 days old when he passed.  What is so fascinating about him is that he took up smoking at the age of 70 (which meant he smoked for 50 years) and liked to drink brown sugar shochu (a Japanese alcoholic beverage).  Izumi isn't exactly what most of us would consider healthy yet proof is in the pudding so to speak- 120 years and 237 days young!

So that brings me back to my original question- WHAT IS HEALTHY? Does living to 120 years 237 days mean you are healthy, or just old?  Does appearing young on the outside reflect health, or just a deep wallet?  Do ripped muscles and physical feats determine health, or just accomplishment?  And how important is our diet- grandma  Flo what do you think?

Then there are those other factors that I like to consider when I am talking to people about their health.  How well do you sleep at night? Do you sleep through the night? Bad dreams?  How well do you handle stressful situations? Do you laugh everyday?  What are your eating patterns? How's your poo- quality, quantity, frequency?  Do you fatigue easily or often? What are your relationships like?  How many hours a day are you on some sort of  electronics device?  What is happening in your body that you disregard as, "oh that's just what happens when you get older"?

You see there are all types of indicators to this elusive ideal of health that we overlook.  In allopathic medicine they look at numbers- your cholesterol levels, blood pressure, BMI etc.  Yet, with all it's advance technologies Americans have shockingly high mortality rates-considering.  With all of our medical advancements everyone should be living to at least 100- but we're not.  U.S. heart disease rates are shrinking but mental illness rates are skyrocketing. In Chinese medicine we consider your shen- life force.  When I look at you do you radiate and glow or is your life force/shen dull?  Not exactly a measurable qualifier is it?  But very helpful none the less.

This much I do know about health.  Health is about balance.  If you truly want to be healthy you have to have an honest observation about every aspect of your life.  The guy that had a quadruple bypass at 45, ate "right" and exercised but he carried a lot of anger for a very long time.  My grandma who had a terrible diet as far as modern standards might believe had an amazing attitude and let stuff roll off her back fairly easily. When one area of our lives is out of balance it can throw off everything else.

In my practice I look at all aspects of a persons well-being and take a 360 degree approach.  What is happening physically, energeticly, ad mentally and bring them all back into balance.  This is working in the yogic concept of Koshas- all the layers of your being.  While I find this approach to be extremely effective, there are always exceptions to the rule.  Like Izumi for instance.  Modern logic says there is no way someone who starts smoking at 70 should live another 50 years.  Is health about quantity of life or quality of life, or both?  It's so fascinating and perplexing to me, makes me wonder really,  what is healthy?

"Your mind is society's garbage bin" - Sadhguru

Bahn Mi Recipe (vegan or non-veg options)

Some of my absolute favorite flavors come from Vietnam.  Mind you I have never personally been there but that doesn't mean I can't enjoy all of the tastes from that region.  I mean the first time I had a big steamy bowl of Pho I thought I had died and gone to heaven. Or how about mock duck rice noodle salad- dreamy.  Then when I discovered Bahn Mi sandwiches I was beside myself.

 Until several years ago, Vietnamese restaurants were in regular rotation for going out.  My husband and I used to have a favorite Vietnamese restaurant that we would probably go to twice a month if not more.  Then the unthinkable happened- MSG. It was a beautiful summer night, we had just got done eating a satisfying bowl of veggie Pho and decided to enjoy the summer breeze with a stroll around the local lake.  As we were walking I started to notice that my hands were feeling swollen, but passed it off to the humidity.  About half way around the lake I mentioned something to my husband about how tight and swollen my hands were feeling and he said his hands were feeling the same way.  By the time we made it 3/4 of the way around I felt like a bonefide swollen sausage stuffed in it's casing.  And not just my hands but my whole body!  We laughed, we cried, we tried to get around of the rest of the lake in this miserable state. Darn you MSG!  I actually felt this way for 3 days!  That's a long time to feel stuffed and miserable.  And so from that day forth I have sworn off all MSG which means there are just a few Asian restaurants I will go to now.  They have to state, "no MSG" somewhere on the menus or I will call in advance and ask if they use MSG.  It's just not worth taking the risk.

If you don't already know MSG or Monosodium Glutamate, is a flavor enhancer and food additive that is put in many processed foods.  It is also extremely bad for you and cause for much concern. One of the best overviews of the very real dangers of MSG comes from Dr. Russell Blaylock, a board-certified neurosurgeon and author of “Excitotoxins: The Taste that Kills.” In it he explains that MSG is an excitotoxin, which means it overexcites your cells to the point of damage or death, causing brain damage to varying degrees -- and potentially even triggering or worsening learning disabilities, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Lou Gehrig’s disease and more. YIKES!  From personal experience I know it to cause bloating, swelling, depression, mood swings, and I once had a friend who's mom cooked with it a lot and she said it made her eyebrows fall out.  This is definitely something to watch out for.  A word of advice, food should heal not kill.

The upside to all this is now I make all of these amazing dishes at home MSG free. Today I am going to share my recipe for Bahn Mi.  This is a meat filled sandwich, with Vietnamese flavors on a French baguette. Usually they are made with pork, chicken or sometimes beef but I am making it with seitan (mock duck).  Of course this recipe will work with any protein of your choice.  This is the kind of sandwich you really want to sink your teeth into and it will have you craving for more.

Vegan Bahn Mi Recipe(can be made non-veg with meat of choice)

For Slaw
2 large carrots
2-3 large diakon radish (same size as carrots), can substitute parsnips or turnips
1 small apple
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
3 Tbs maple syrup
2 Tbs siracha
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 cup cilantro (optional)

Thinly slice, julienne, or grate the the carrots, diakon and apple.  Place them in a zip lock bag then add the rest of the ingredients.  Close the bag and shake well until everything is thoroughly mixed.  Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. (This in effect pickles the vegetables and will last in your fridge up to 3 weeks.  It is also makes an excellent flavor addition to many types of sandwiches)

For Seitan (protein option)
2-3 cups seitan (or meat of choice), cut into slices not too small
3/4 cup water or broth
1/4 cup soy ( Braggs liquid aminos or tamari sauce also work)
2 Tbs molasses
2 Tbs maple syrup
1/2 tsp siracha
1/2 tsp liquid smoke
2 Tbs toasted sesame oil

Add all the liquid together and mix.  Place seitan (meat) in cast iron skillet in a single layer.  You may need to make it in two batches.  Pour half the liquid over and cook on med-low until liquid is cooked off and seitan has texture. Set aside.

Other Ingredients

1 big loaf of baguette bread
cilantro sprigs
spinach
mayo or veganaise
red or yellow peppers sliced (optional)
extra siracha

Really this is your sandwich you can put anything you want on it.  After the slaw and seitan/meat are done build your sandwich to your liking. Bon appetite!



 

Silence- the medicine of healers

Whether you know me in person or just from reading this blog you may have noticed I am slightly obsessed with relaxation, quiet, silence. I didn't used to be this way.  In fact quite the opposite.  I used to be the type that always had to be doing something. Usually, 3 things at a time.  It was also at this time in my life that I was the most unhealthy (even though I told myself otherwise).  Doing was the norm for me and this idea of just being was a completely foreign concept. I was like most people are  nowadays because to be slow, restful, quiet or silent is almost a sin in our modern age.  Well guess what I have learned these last couple of years? All this go go going and constantly doing is killing us! Literally.

The brain is a very sophisticated computer.  There is built in software and programmed software. All of us get some of the same software but then as we grow we begin to do our own programming from our thoughts, teachings, habits, etc.  You don't need to tell your heart to pump it is already pre-programmed to do so involuntarily.  In yoga dis-ease in the body could be considered as bad programming. 

 Yoga explains that at the bottom of all thinking is a state of  SILENCE- the abode of bliss, knowledge, freedom and energy.  This is our casual state.  The nearer you go to it the greater the bliss and energy.  To be happy and cheerful, to be healthy and ever enthusiastic is our birth right.  All other conditions are superficial.  They are at the surface level, the gross level.  And in the right sense therefore it is all artificial, unnatural.  To be unhappy, miserable, anxious etc. is unnatural.

You may not believe it.  You may not care for such wisdom.  But as we say, please be a scientist.  Experiment on it.   If it works, take it, or else leave it. -Swami Vivekanada

For most, the idea that bliss, knowledge, freedom, health and energy are our natural states seems like a foreign and unrealistic ideal.  However, yoga is a science.  In order to truly know a thing you must have experience with it.  Do not take anybody's word for it- not even mine. Here's an example.  Say you want to learn calculus.  You are given a problem and also the option of being given the answer to the problem.  Would you know calculus if you just simply repeated the answer you were given?  Or would you learn it by doing it yourself?  Life is the same way.  If someone tells you that this is the way, or the answer, or the solution but you have no experience with that how do you know it is true?  See most of us operate on blind faith in others.  If doctor says you have 6 months to live, who said you have to believe him?  Has he lived in your body, with your thoughts, faith, life-style, or resolve?  He is just making an educated guess.  You are the only one who can truly know the truth.  Your truth.  But how do you know your truth unless you experiment, experience, try, work-it-out, dive in, discover, fail, learn and grow?  How do you know what or who you are unless you go in to find out?  If I told you that the square root of 4576 is 12, would you automatically believe me because I posted it in a blog?  Is it easier to take someone else's answers as your own rather than do the work yourself?  Going in and getting silent is the process of learning your true self - happy, healthy, wise, full of energy etc.

Tension is who we are trying to be, relaxation is who we are.

Unhappiness, dis-ease, misery etc. are all surface layer experiences.  These are experiences of trying to be who we are not. In turn, this stress produces cortisone (is known to turn off or suppress immune cells), adrenaline, high blood pressure, and increased blood glucose which in turn over time begins to overwhelm the immune system and break us down.

 In recent years there has been a growing awareness that the way we feel can influence our body's immune mechanisms.  This suggests that there are connections between the nervous system and the immune system.  Repeated  or on-going stress breaks down our immune system...  Most people think that cancer is this powerful invader in the body.  Actually, cellular biology tells us the opposite is true.  A cancerous cell is, in fact, a weak and confused cell with incorrect genetic information.  Genetic predisposition, carcinogenic substances, radiation, diet and- more important than any of these- the mental and emotional factors, are responsible for cancer.  Stress suppresses the immune defense system and allows the cancer cells (they exist in all our bodies) to rapidly reproduce themselves into a life threatening tumor. If the immune system is restored to a normal level, cancerous cells get destroyed to restore the cancer patient to normal health. -Swami Vivekananda

You don't need a super-human immune system to fight cancer, you need a normal one.  That's it. Nothing fancy just your God given immune system, natural birth right, to keep you healthy.  And this is where silence becomes so important.  Moving into the deep states of silence is like pressing the restart button.  It clears out the 3 fold tensions- mental, emotional and physical.  From a scientific point of view silence, quiet, and relaxation allow the parasympathetic nervous system to  go to work and flush out, rebuild, restore, and renew all the damage that the sympathetic nervous system has done.

There are 3 states of silence.  The first state is a low state related to coma, hibernation, alcoholic unconsciousness and the likes.  This for the most part is not the silence I am talking about.  The second state is better which includes deep sleep, yoga nidra (yogic sleep), super conscious states,  forms of mediation and Samadhi.  Most of us will spend  most of our silent time in this second state.  The final state is total merger.  These states move from dullness and stagnation (coma) to more subtle, expansive, brighter, dynamic, and effortless,  to even more blissful, calm, peaceful, and serene.  The deeper you go and the more you uncoil the greater freedom, knowledge, and creativity you have.

If you read my last post, Swami Tejomayananda stated," Nobody will give you rest. You must learn to take it". It has been said that "resting is rusting" and "change of work is relaxation"- is that your experience with relaxation?  Relaxation is action people! In fact it is one of the most powerful self healing states there is! The longer you spend in silence, the more you will notice yourself start to uncoil and go deeper into states of happiness and health.  But don't take my word for it- try it yourself.

Words of wisdom

Pujya Guruji Swami Tejomayananda

When I was in India, we stayed at Chinmaya ashram in the Kerla region.  This was a poster hanging in the ashram.  Pujya Guruji Swami Tejomayanada is the worldwide head of Chinmaya. I happen to think this is some darn good advice! Namaste

The Power of Stillness

Ok, I must confess I have been totally uninspired lately.  I mean really, I have been riding off the pep talk of an 11 year old, Kid President, for the past 2 weeks now.  When I woke up this morning I had a slight sense of dread thinking about what in the heck I was going to blog about this week.  So I decided to meditate first and then it hit me, to be inspired means to be operating "in-spirit".  I haven't been inspired lately because I have been so half-donky with my practices lately - NO WONDER!  These last couple of weeks I have been watching a lot of Netflix, surfing the web, and really just worldly minded. A true testament to the fact that a spiritual practice needs to be continuous and constant.  I remember when I first decided to pursue my spiritual life I quit a bunch of my worldly habits and thought I that would instantly elevate me to spiritual superiority. Ha! Little did I know, that was just the prerequisite to getting in the course. The real work is my day-to-day practices.  Today's lesson.....

Be still and know that I am God.- Psalm 46:10

To be still is to relax, let go, relinquish. When we are still we relax in God.  In order for me to get inspired I first needed to get still.   Last week I was searching the web for "What is Yoga?" to gain some insight for a class that I was teaching. "Be Still and know that I am God" was the scripture one of the sites mentioned as a definition to yoga.  To be still, calm the mind chatter, and unite with the God within, is yoga.  Often I have students come up to me after a restorative class and say, "I had a problem that I was trying to work out before I came to class and now I know what I am going to do."  Resting is receiving. That is the Power of Stillness!  

Every single one of us needs stillness of some form- whether it is prayer and meditation, restorative yoga, soaking, yoga nidra, breath work or any other form of stillness. To be still  is our inherent built in technology for communicating with the Divine.  As Yogananda puts it, "The peace of absolute physical and mental stillness is the real temple wherein God most often visits His devotees."  It is in our stillness that we release the restlessness of our worldly involvement and come into God-communication.  It is in stillness that we gain insight and awareness of our Higher Self.  It is in stillness that we release the physical, mental, and emotional tensions that plague our day-to-day life.  

Just 20 minutes of stillness is powerful.  Most people find it hard to sit and be still/quiet for 20 minutes.  I tell my students you have to train yourself into stillness. For most beginners to sit ad be still for 20 minutes is nearly impossible.  That's why you have to start slow.  Maybe just 5 minutes.  Close your eyes and repeat a calm word or phrase for 5 minutes.  Try not to open your eyes.  In the beginning, just keeping your eyes shut for 5 minutes will seem nearly impossible.  This is your Jedi relaxation warrior training- as Yoda the yogi would say "no try just do".  The minute you open your eyes you are drawn back into the world and out of your stillness so do your best to keep your eyes closed (no matter what noise you might hear going on around you).  If  this is just too difficult you can practice stillness with your eyes open focused on one point- like a candle. 

Another excuse we tell ourselves is, "I just don't have 20 minutes a day to be still".  Really? It really comes down to priorities.  If we are truthful with ourselves we can find 20 minutes to surf the web, or watch a movie, or pick at a scab - it's just a matter of making stillness a priority.  Trust me on this one, once you do you will experience the power of stillness that can not fully be explained in words, only experienced in action.  See the thing is, the power of stillness will have major effects on every other aspect of your life.  It is the difference of living an INSPIRED (in-spirit) life verses just existing day-to-day.  Would you rather be inspired or just exist?  If you chose inspired - Be still and know that I am God.

Kid President (playlist)

This kid is AWESOME!!!! And so are you! If he doesn't make you smile - dance then watch again!

Why Am I Stressed? - Sadhguru

The Secret of the Universe

I have discovered the secret of the Universe.  Yep that's right.  Lil' ole me, Marnie from Minnesota has discovered one of the greatest mysteries of all mankind and I want to share it with anyone who will listen. Before I share it I will make this disclaimer, I by no means am the first or the only person to have figured this out.  In fact, this knowledge is our birthright and there have been MANY before who have spread the word. However, it still remains a mystery to most.  With that said are you ready to have your mind blown?
Here goes....

You create your own reality.

Look around you. Everything, everything, everything, good, neutral or bad is a result of your own doing.  Your  health, your financial situation, your house, your relationships, your moods, your friends and enemies- everything is a result of your thoughts. That is the essence of  I AM THAT.  We are co-creators with God.  God has given us free will to use the Divine Intelligence as we wish. This Intelligence, Divine Will, is neutral.  It is not good or bad, it is simply the creative force.  We are the ones who put a property of positive creation, neutral creation, or negative creation to it through our motivation and intent.  We are free to choose according to our disposition and desires.  Trouble is most folks have no consciousness of this at all and therefore allow their entire lives to be ruled and determined by their idle, material, or negative disposition, desires, and thoughts.  Everything is a result of your thoughts, your choices and your words.  Where people get tripped up is feeling as if they are victims rather than creators of consequence.

Watch your thoughts for they become your words.
Watch your words for they become your actions. 
Watch your actions for they become your character.
Watch your character for it becomes your destiny. -Bhagavad Gita

Once you begin to take control of your own thoughts you begin to take control of your destiny. If you think that something or someone else is responsible for the conditions in your life you give up all of your creative power and ultimately you become subject to whatever it is that you gave your creative power to.  It is called the biology of belief.  If you believe your condition is not curable you are absolutely right.  If you believe you can be cured and you are healthy you are absolutely right.  If you believe life is hard and you have to struggle to survive, guess what? You're right! However, if you believe that life is a blessing and you are content, you are also right!  You will live a life of ease.  It's that simple.

And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee.  And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.  Matthew 8:13

According to the Greek Dictionary:
believed - Pisteuo- faith, to have mental persuasion, to give credit, to be of opinion, to be entrusted with, confidence
be it done - Ginomai- to become, to be made or formed, to be made or created from nothing, to occur, come to pass, to be or become in general, to be done or performed, to be fulfilled, accomplished, to come to oneself, to have recovered ones senses or understanding

This scripture is a good example of the power of the biology of our beliefs.  A man (centurion) came to Jesus because his servant was ill with palsy and greatly tormented.  Jesus told the man that he would go to heal him. The man replied he was not worthy of having Jesus come into his home so he asked that Jesus speak the word only and his servant shall be healed.  Jesus was impressed by this mans faith and beliefs  that he spoke and healed the servant with his word. (Matthew 8:1-13)

It is our BELIEFS that are the driving forces in our lives.  Those things which we have mental persuasion towards, give credit to, be in the opinion of, entrust to or have confidence in.  Those are the creative, magnetic and driving forces in your life.

Which leads be back to the WORD and the creative force.  So in the last post I mentioned Sat Nam- "His Word is Truth."  God, the Divine Truth, Intelligence, speaks and that Word is creation.  Well wouldn't you know, your word is also truth?!!!  How else do you create your life- good, bad our neutral- but from your words. And where do your words come from but from your beliefs. If you say mentally to yourself and believe that which you are saying to be true, "I am fat, I am sick, I am broke, I am bored, I am so stupid" etc. you are putting the creative power of I AM THAT in to motion.  That is the Word- creation. We create our own realities with our beliefs, our thoughts, and our words.

When you understand this you become much more diligent about what you allow into your consciousness, what you think, say and believe.  That's why the scripture says, "He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city" -Proverbs 16:32

According to the Greek Dictionary:
ruleth- Mashal- to rule, reign, govern, have dominion, to manage

This scripture is saying that the person who is able to rule, reign, govern, have dominion, and manage his or her spirit is greater than anyone who rules a city.  To be able to rule, reign, govern, have dominion and manage our thoughts and beliefs is one of the most challenging endeavors a person will will ever undertake. It is also the one of the most important because ultimately it is at the core of free will and creating our reality and destiny.

One last vital piece for this lesson, you do not have to believe everything you think. If you start to watch over your thoughts and you become aware that some of your thoughts are not good for you you can choose to think differently.  You can choose not to have faith or mental persuasion in those thoughts.  You don't have to give credit to,  or be of  the opinion,or entrust, or put your confidence in negative or untrue thoughts.  Once you are aware you are in control of your thoughts you choose what thoughts you put your belief systems and faith in and ultimately you create your own reality.

I know this is a lot to chew but I invite you to dive in. Sit with, ponder upon, and meditate on some or all of what I have shared.  I also would love to hear what you think or if you have questions please ask.  We all have room to grow and learn and I would love to be part of that with you. Peace be with you!